HOT SPRINGS, Ark. — The Harding men's golf team showed they weren't backing down from a fight, securing a spot on the podium at the Battle for the Belt tournament that awards its champion a wrestling-style championship belt.
Harding finished third out of 13 teams Tuesday after the final round of the tournament, hosted by Henderson State University at the Hot Springs Country Club. The Bisons shot an even-par 288 in the final round to finish at an 864 total.
Host Henderson State won the event at 13-under 851, followed by Union (TN) at 11-under 853.
Junior Dennis Staykov led the charge for the Bisons, tying for second place overall with a 9-under 207 total. He was just three strokes behind individual medalist Andrew Westmoreland of Union (TN). Staykov's final round was a solid, bogey-free 3-under 69, which included three birdies. This marks his second straight top-five finish after tying for fifth in his last outing, and he has now shot par or better in seven of his nine rounds this season.
Staykov also tied for the tournament's best scores on par 4s, shooting 3-under for the tournament on those holes.
The Bisons featured two other golfers in the top 10:
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Senior Jose Manuel Peralta finished eighth with a 2-under 214 total. He posted a 1-under 71 in the third round, his first top-10 finish of the season and the sixth of his career.
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Junior Jose Arzu tied for ninth place at 1-under 215. His final round was an even-par 72, securing his first top-10 finish of the season and the eighth of his career.
Other finishes for Harding included sophomore Austin Bibb (tied for 49th, 12-over 228) and freshman Luke Killough (tied for 69th, 26-over 242). Killough, who shot a 5-over 77 in the third round, recorded his second eagle of the tournament on the par-5, 555-yard 10th hole. Junior Conner Geist, playing as an individual, tied for 33rd at 7-over 233.
Harding will play its fourth of five fall tournaments on Oct. 6-7 at the Missouri Western Classic, hosted by Missouri Western at the St. Joseph Country Club.
